Alyssa Thomas named to U.S. national team pool for upcoming world championship, Olympics

Alyssa Thomas

Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun

Alyssa Thomas is in the pool of 33 players that will be chosen from to fill the U.S. national team's roster at the upcoming world championships and the 2016 Olympics.

Alyssa Thomas is in the pool of 33 players that will be chosen from to fill the U.S. national team's roster at the upcoming world championships and the 2016 Olympics. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

The two-time Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year attended a U.S. minicamp in Las Vegas in October and is one of just six current college players chosen for the 2014-16 pool. (The others are UConn's Stefanie Dolson, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Breanna Stewart, Notre Dame's Kayla McBride and Baylor's Odyssey Sims.

“I think all athletes want to win a world championship or play in the Olympics, so this is definitely one of my many dreams,” Thomas said in a statement. “As players, we all want to be the best we can and the best in the world, so I just want to keep working like I always have and hopefully those things will happen.”

Thomas leads the nation in double-doubles (13) and triple-doubles (12) and leads the ACC in rebounding (11 per game).

Maryland had two representatives -- tight end Vernon Davis and linebacker E.J. Henderson. Here are ESPN's blurbs on each:

TE: Vernon Davis, Maryland: Davis was a consensus All-American in 2005, first-team all-ACC selection, and finalist for the Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end. He started every game, leading the team with 51 receptions and the conference with 871 receiving yards (17.1 average). He was also one of the top blockers at his position.

LB: E.J. Henderson, Maryland: Henderson was an All-American in 2001 and 2002, setting a single-season school record with 26 tackles for loss in 2001, winning the ACC Player of the Year honor that season. He was selected ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2002 and also won the Bednarik and Butkus awards.